The new law recognises the special constitutional status of a person’s dwelling and makes it clear that a person may use reasonable force to defend themselves in their home.

The Act explicitly provides that a person is not under any obligation to retreat from their home when it is subject to an intrusion and provides that a person, who uses reasonable force, as provided for in the Act, cannot be sued for damages by a burglar and will not be guilty of an offence.

There has up to now been a certain amount of confusion about the rights and wrongs of a home owner defending their property, and this Act sets out to clarify the situation. The Act allows for the use of such force as is reasonable in the circumstances, to protect people in the dwelling from assault, to protect property, to prevent the commission of a crime, or to make a lawful arrest.

A priest was assaulted last night after he confronted three raiders in his home at 10 pm.

Monsignor Brendan Byrne was thrown to the ground and received facial injuries when he confronted the men.

The raiders fled the scene and escaped with a small amount of cash.

Monsignor Byrne serves in the Kildare and Leighlin diocese and has been a priest for over 50 years, is currently the administrator for the diocese following the resignation of Bishop Jim Moriarty in 2010.

Gerry Daly went missing on June 26, 2011 from his home in Baileboro, Cavan. He was last seen on that day at around 6 pm.

He was reported missing three days later and when Garda investigated his house, they found nothing suspicious. His home was undisturbed and his vehicle, wallet, passport and clothes were all where they should be. The doors in his house were locked, although some lights and the TV were on.

Daly is a separated father of three young boys. When last seen he was wearing a blue polo top with yellow stripes, black work boots and a G-shock watch. He is believed to have been wearing a gold chain with a Celtic cross on it at the time of his disappearance. Daly has multiple tattoos on his arms, including a scorpion, an Irish flag and a stick figure drawing. He was also carrying a black and red Nokia mobile phone at the time he disappeared.

Despite land, water and aerial searches for Daly, scores of face-to-face interviews and repeated national and international appeals for information, there has been little clue as to how or why he disappeared. Gardaí have ruled out the likelihood of suicide and abscondment.

Gardaí say he is well known to dog enthusiasts and breeders and when the house was searched, all signs indicated that he was preparing to feed the dogs but never got to it.

His family believe that someone came to Daly’s home and he left with them, thinking he would shortly return.

Anyone with information is asked to contact gardaí at Bailieboro on 042-9694570 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111